Simone Lawson
Thomas Jefferson is remembered as the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States. He is also known for his paradoxical legacy as a slave owner who advocated for human freedom and equality. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. So, did he sign the Constitution?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson's presence at the signing of the Constitution | Absent |
| Thomas Jefferson's location in 1787 | Paris, France |
| Thomas Jefferson's role in 1787 | United States' envoy |
| Number of signatures on the Constitution | 39 |
| Number of delegates at the signing ceremony | 42 |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign | 3 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Thomas Jefferson was in Paris in 1787
While in Paris in 1787, Jefferson attended the opening of the French Estates-General and its debates at Versailles. He also drafted a charter of rights with Lafayette in June, which served as the basis for the French Declaration of Rights that Lafayette presented to the National Assembly in July. In August, Lafayette and other French liberals met secretly at Jefferson's home, the Hôtel de Langeac, just outside Paris, to discuss a new French constitution.
Jefferson returned to Paris on June 10, 1787, after being away for more than three months. He did not sign the US Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and he did not attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. However, he did receive a copy of a draft of the Constitution in November 1787, which he generally approved of, although he urged Madison and others to add a bill of rights and to limit the number of terms that a president could serve.
Hamilton's Signature: Was He a Constitution Signer?
You may want to see also
Jefferson was the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson did not sign the US Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. However, Jefferson is remembered for being the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence. In June 1776, he composed a draft of the Declaration of Independence, which announced the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States of America.
Jefferson's ideas about politics and government greatly influenced early American history. He believed that the American Revolution represented a clean break with the past and that the United States should reject all European versions of political discipline. He also resisted efforts to create a strong central governmental authority. As the nation's first secretary of state, second vice president, and third president, Jefferson was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase.
Jefferson's legacy is complicated by the fact that he owned over 600 enslaved people during his life while forcefully advocating for human freedom and equality. This paradoxical stance has made him one of America's most problematic and controversial heroes.
The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Jefferson, included the phrase "All Men Are Created Equal." However, the original US Constitution did not include this phrase and instead included provisions such as the Three-Fifths Clause, which counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person when determining representation in Congress. The 13th and 14th Amendments, ratified after the Civil War, rendered the Three-Fifths Compromise obsolete and wrote the Declaration's promise of equality into the Constitution.
The Constitution: Why Some Delegates Refused to Sign It
You may want to see also
39 delegates signed the Constitution
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states, endorsed the Constitution. This endorsement included a brief declaration stating that the delegates' work had been completed and that those whose signatures appear on it agreed to the final document.
The Federal Convention of 1787 was convened due to the majority of delegates to Congress agreeing that the Articles of Confederation, which established the first national government, needed significant revisions. The Articles' primary weakness was their failure to empower the central government to carry out essential functions. They protected the sovereignty of the states, but the central government lacked the power to raise revenue or conduct diplomatic relations.
The delegates who signed the Constitution represented a cross-section of 18th-century American leadership, with experience in local, colonial, or state government. Some of the delegates, like George Washington, had served in the Continental Congress or fought the British during the American Revolution. Not all of the delegates agreed with the final product, and some expressed reservations but still signed the Constitution, anticipating vigorous debates within their states. Three delegates—Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph—did not sign it at all.
The signing of the Constitution was preceded by a four-month-long convention where the delegates debated and revised the document. The convention's secretary, William Jackson, added a note to verify four amendments made by hand to the final document and signed the note to authenticate its validity. Jacob Shallus, the assistant clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, engrossed (copied in a fine, clear hand) the document over the course of about 40 hours.
Thomas Jefferson did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Benjamin Franklin's Signature: A Founding Father's Legacy
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Constitutional Convention ended in 1787
Thomas Jefferson is remembered for being the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States. He also greatly influenced American politics and government in its early history. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This was after the War for Independence, and the convention aimed to codify the spirit of the Revolution into a practical scheme of government to promote the welfare of its citizens.
The 39 signatures on the Constitution included the Convention's secretary, William Jackson. The signatories ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair. The signing was set for the Monday after the state delegates approved the draft on 15 September 1787. Jacob Shallus, the assistant clerk for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, engrossed (or copied) the document in around 40 hours. He was paid $30 for his work.
George Mason's Refusal: The Constitution's Missing Signature
You may want to see also
Jefferson was the US' third president
Thomas Jefferson did not sign the US Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States' envoy and missed the signing of the Constitution in Philadelphia. However, Jefferson was the third president of the United States, serving from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence, which announced the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States of America. As the nation's first secretary of state from 1789 to 1794 and its second vice president from 1797 to 1801, Jefferson played a significant role in the early years of the American nation. Known for his shyness, Jefferson avoided public speaking, with the exception of his two inaugural addresses as president. A zealous believer in the American cause, Jefferson advocated for a clean break from European political discipline and a rejection of a strong central governmental authority.
Jefferson's political ideas and beliefs greatly influenced early American history. He was a strong advocate for human freedom and equality, yet he also owned over 600 enslaved people during his life, making him one of America's most contradictory figures. Jefferson was born on April 2, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, and died on July 4, 1826, in Monticello, Virginia. He received a well-rounded education, boarding with a local schoolmaster to learn Latin and Greek before enrolling at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, where he studied law under the guidance of leading legal scholar George Wythe. Jefferson's intellectual curiosity and dedication to his studies were notable, with daily routines that included up to 15 hours of reading and 3 hours of violin practice.
As the third president of the United States, Jefferson is particularly remembered for the Louisiana Purchase, a significant event in the expansion of US territory. The signing of the Constitution, however, took place during a time when Jefferson was serving his country overseas. On September 17, 1787, 42 delegates gathered at the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) for the signing ceremony, with 39 signatures on the document, including the Convention's secretary, William Jackson. The signing of the Constitution marked a pivotal moment in American history, establishing a scheme of government that promoted the welfare of all its citizens and enduring as a foundational document that continues to shape the nation's laws and principles.
Signing Elon Musk's Constitution Petition: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, Thomas Jefferson did not sign the Constitution. In 1787, Jefferson was in Paris as the United States’ envoy and missed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
Thomas Jefferson was in Paris, France, serving as the United States' envoy.
Yes, Thomas Jefferson was the primary writer and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
